As Long As He's Safe
by TheHappyHighlander
Summary: Toothless was unconscious, Astrid wasn't there, and Hiccup could see that the light fury wasn't coming to save him...But at least Grimmel was going down with him. *Alternate ending for The Hidden World.
1. As Long As He's Safe

**A/N: This is just a short little something I wrote for my own amusement, so I apologize if it sucks. At the moment, the plan is to make this a two-shot, but I'm not quite sure when I'll upload the second half *shrug*. ANYWAY...thank you to everyone who reads and reviews, I really appreciate you taking the time to do that...And now, enjoy!**

o0o_o0o_o0o

It was strange, the feeling that had formed inside of him. He couldn't recall having ever experienced anything quite like it before...He could only describe it as an amalgamation of profound relief, sorrow, joy, and - if he was being perfectly honest with himself - fear.

Alas, none of that really mattered now, he'd accomplished what he'd wanted: Toothless was safe. Of course, that had always been the most important thing for him...Which was why mere seconds ago, as he'd watched his beloved dragon falling unconscious toward the sea, he'd made the decision to let go of the Light Fury - effectively trading his own life for Toothless'...It had been the only way she could have made it to the night fury in time. Thankfully, though, the dazzling white dragon had made the sacrifice worthwhile. For as Hiccup fell, he'd seen her make the last-second catch that saved his best friend's life.

_You're safe now, Bud._ He thought to himself as his expression relaxed into one of calm acceptance. Knowing that Toothless had made it, alongside his mate, brought Hiccup a measure of solace that quickly smothered all the bad feelings which had been squeezing his heart like icy tentacles.

He was just glad Toothless had a new friend to share his life with, the dragon deserved to be wild and free - it was time to let him fly on his own...

And so that was how he found himself in his current predicament - plummeting to his death with a furious dragon killer at his side.

Lost in bittersweet thoughts, Hiccup barely even registered the way Grimmel clawed at him in rage, ripping what was left of his armor with sharp, cruel fingers...his gaze remained locked onto the sea stack far above them.

Toothless was up there. Astrid was up there. His mother was up there. His friends were up there. The dragons were up there. New Berk was up there...

But he was down here.

The unforgiving surface of the ocean was rapidly getting closer...30 meters - 20 meters - 10 meters...

Here at the end, he had no regrets...Like his father before him, he was a chief - and he had protected his own.

o0o_o0o_o0o

Stoick was standing on the beach as usual, admiring the perpetual sunrise that painted this world in varying hues of cheerful pinks and warm oranges, when he felt a small shift in the wind.

He had grown accustomed to the gentle _whoosh_ that signified a new soul had entered the afterlife. However, this one felt..._different_.

In that second, his heart both leapt with joy and shattered - for he sensed a member of his family had come to join him. And, while he missed his wife and his son dearly, he knew both were far too young to be here yet. They still belonged in the world of the living.

Casting his gaze around almost frantically, he tried to locate whoever it was, all while his mind repeated the same thought over and over:

_Please don't be Hiccup, please don't be Hiccup, please don't be Hiccup..._

Unfortunately, though, it was.

A familiar shock of messy auburn hair had just emerged from the water in front of him, followed by a face, a torso, and two _whole_ legs...The sight - sad as it was due to the untimely nature of Hiccup's death - still managed to bring a warm smile to the father's face.

As Hiccup stumbled toward him, seemingly blind to his presence, Stoick could see the confusion on the young man's face. It wasn't until Hiccup had trudged out of the water in his characteristically clumsy way that Stoick spoke.

"Hiccup?"

In a fraction of a second, the young man's head snapped up to face the voice, and eyes that were previously disoriented suddenly lit up with excitement. It was obvious he'd recognized it right away.

"...Dad?" His tone contained a combination of disbelief and hope. "Is it really you?"

"Aye, son. It is..."

There was a beat, then the older man was suddenly knocked off of his feet and into the sand when Hiccup rushed forward to hug him.

Hiccup was stronger than he remembered.

"I've missed you, dad." He mumbled into his father's beard, and Stoick - being the same as ever - didn't know what to say. In the end, he decided not to speak, and instead just nodded and squeezed his son tighter to his chest. But then, as the initial exuberance of their reunion slowly began to subside, Stoick's expression shifted to a more serious one. As he stood up, hauling Hiccup to his feet with one hand, he had to ask the big question...

"Hiccup...son...Why are you here?"

The young man looked up into his father's eyes with a gaze that said it all.

He'd died saving someone he loved.

Hiccup looked ready to defend that choice from disapproval if his father tried to lecture him. But as Stoick appraised the man before him, he could see bravery, selflessness, conviction, and courage written on every feature of Hiccup's face...And he felt a deep pride for his son, who was standing there with him in the land of the Honored Dead.

He had become a true chief.

"Who were you saving?" Stoick prompted suddenly, his voice taking on the all-too familiar tone of mixed amusement and exasperation. Although, there was a hint of approval there as well.

Now a crooked smile graced Hiccup's features. "Toothless...and his mate."

Stoick's eyebrows rose at that. Of course, he wasn't surprised that Hiccup had sacrificed himself for his dragon - that was almost predictable. He was just surprised to learn the night fury had found a mate!

However, now hardly seemed like the best time to get into a conversation about a dragon's love life...

Feeling a bit flustered, Stoick said the first thing that came to mind...Unfortunately, though, death had not given him the gift of eloquence, poetic speech, or the ability to know what to say, so the older man just puffed out his cheeks and let loose a gusty breath of air before saying, "So...the same dragon got us both to Valhalla, eh?"

Hiccup looked slightly offended for a second, but a lifetime of dealing with his father's blunt - albeit rude - sense of humor had him shrugging it off with a bemused grin.

"I suppose so. Technically...but -" and just as he started to explain himself, Stoick chuckled and waved his hands.

"Son, it was a joke! I didn't mean it like that, I know that dragon would never harm anyone of his own free will. Whatever happened, we are here as a result of the choices we made..."

And suddenly Hiccup's eyes filled with tears. He had never gotten the chance to apologize for his father's death...

"Dad...I...I'm so, so sorry..." he stammered.

"Ah, hush now, lad. I'd do it over again if I had to, a thousand times over, I would..." Then he paused and took a shaky breath before continuing. "I know...Well, I know I wasn't the best father to you. I have more to say sorry for than you..."

Hiccup felt the sincerity of his father's voice, but just smiled. He had forgiven the man long ago.

Seeming to know what Hiccup was thinking, Stoick smiled warmly at him.

"I've missed you, son..."

"Love you, dad."

There was a peace in the air around them that resonated deep within their souls. All was well between them. At long last.

o0o_o0o_o0o

It felt like he was coming up from the depths of the sea as consciousness came back to him.

Ugh...Everything felt heavy and sluggish. His eyes didn't want to open and his legs refused to cooperate. For a moment he imagined his best friend touching his nose in that oh-so familiar way.

...Hiccup...

As his large green eyes opened, he was surprised at what he saw.

Or, to be exact, what he didn't see.

Hiccup wasn't there.

How odd...He was sure the boy had just been with him - he was positive he'd heard his voice, and his nose still felt warm from the touch...

But, even as he glanced around him, Hiccup was nowhere to be seen. There was only Windwalker, his mate, who had been sitting a short way away, watching him with worried eyes.

The Light Fury quickly slunk to his side and licked his nose when she saw that he was awake, but at that moment, he had more pressing things on his mind. His ailments forgotten, the night fury stood up on shaky legs and warbled to the white dragon. He wanted her to tell him where his best friend was...

And that was when she closed her eyes and hung her head in what could only be described as a look of shame.

Concerned by this, he asked again, and so she walked to the edge of the cliff and plopped down with a low, melancholy moan. Toothless didn't understand...Where was Hiccup? What was going on...

As he reached her side, he arched his neck to look down at the sea far, far below.

Then his memories kicked into overdrive.

He recalled The Hunter riding a sedated and mind-controlled Windwalker...He and Hiccup had killed the deathgrippers...Hiccup had jumped off of his back, then he'd been shot by a dart and then he fell...and then...

It didn't take him long to piece the rest together.

The light fury curled into a ball, realizing all too late that by failing to save the small human who often sat on her mate's back, she had failed her mate.

But Toothless couldn't - wouldn't - believe it. Hiccup hadn't fallen...and even if he had, he had wings! He could fly! Hiccup would never leave him...

And then an overwhelming sense of guilt slammed into him. How could he be mad at Hiccup for leaving him, when he was the one who left first...? He had flown to the Hidden World with Windwalker, taken his place as Alpha amongst all the dragons there - and he knew in his heart-of-hearts that he had not planned on returning to Hiccup...In selfishness, he had never expected _Hiccup_ to go somewhere that he couldn't visit...

All he knew was that he'd never forgive himself if his best friend had died.

With no warning to Windwalker, Toothless leapt from the ledge and tucked his wings tight to his sides. He had to search the waters below...had to find his friend.

...

Once he had reached the ocean and began skimming over its surface, it didn't take long to locate evidence of Hiccup's fate. Torn shreds of leather wings floated aimlessly on the waves...A stray gas cartridge from Inferno bobbed along as well...A lonely black helmet with night fury scales drifted away on the tide...

_No No No No No No No!_ His head swiveled frantically now, searching.

...And then he saw what he feared he'd see.

On a small rocky beach at the base of the island, he could make out a pair of still forms about 30 meters apart from each other, both halfway submerged in the water.

One had white hair, and the other's was a beautiful shade of auburn...

The screech of pure sorrow that tore itself from his throat brought distant echoed cries from every dragon who could hear him. For this wasn't just his loss, Hiccup had been a friend to them all.

His wings beat hard and his breathing was sporadic as he angled himself toward the bodies. Reflexively, his eyes glanced up to the top of the monstrous island. They had been flying far above it when Toothless had been incapacitated, and if Hiccup had fallen all that way...

There was no hope.

A few seconds later, he was landing beside his best friend.

At first, Hiccup looked alive. The calm ebb and flow of the waves that were splashing against his limp form gave an almost breath-like motion to his body. His eyes were closed, and there was a pinkish hue to the tiny streams of water that had trickled around his mouth and nose. The armor was much more battered and torn than he'd remembered it being - chunks of leather were gone and claw marks decorated most of the materials. And yet, aside from the blemishes of war, Hiccup looked...content.

Although, his peace did little to soothe Toothless.

Hiccup had gone somewhere his dragon couldn't follow. He'd flown far away and left Toothless behind, alone and scared.

If the sun was shining, Toothless couldn't tell. The world seemed dark and colorless to him now...

Pressing his nose into Hiccup's hand, he silently sang his lamentation. It was a song meant for a single person, and it was one only the dead could hear.

o0o_o0o_o0o

Astrid had been flying Stormfly back to New Berk from the armada battle when the Nadder had suddenly screeched in distress. Alarmed herself, the young woman quickly leaned down to place a hand on her dragon's shoulder.

"What's wrong, girl?"

The dragon let out a sad sort of wail and made an abrupt change in direction that jostled Astrid in her saddle. It was uncharacteristic of Stormfly to behave that way - which was why Astrid made no move to correct her. If Stormfly sensed trouble, then that's where they needed to be. She'd learned from Hiccup long ago to always trust your dragon.

However, even though she trusted Stormfly, it confused her that they were now descending toward the sea instead of heading for the top of the island where everyone would be waiting. What was going on?

And then she heard it - the sound that must have set Stormfly on edge: Toothless' cry. But not just any sort of cry, it was a cry of absolute devastation...

In an instant, her heart faltered, then it began to hammer wildly in her chest. What had caused Toothless to make that sound...

A part of her that she was ashamed of hoped that his reaction was in response to something that had happened to the light fury, and not Hiccup.

But another part of her knew that wasn't the case.

It didn't take long for Stormfly to locate the Alpha, and in a matter of seconds, Astrid's worst fear was realized.

Hiccup was dead.

As she stared at the scene before her, no wail nor heartrending sob escaped her lips. She was silent. Numb.

Even from this distance, she could see it. Hiccup was lying prone in the water, with Grimmel not far away.

As they got closer and finally touched down on the pebble beach, Astrid could see that Toothless was staring up at her from his place at Hiccup's side. His bright green eyes conveyed a depth of emotion that would drown most souls, but she understood everything those orbs said - she could feel the same feelings echoed within herself.

Her body felt overwhelmingly heavy, and it took her a moment to realize that she'd been trying - rather unsuccessfully - to dismount her dragon and make her way to Hiccup.

On some level, she didn't want to see him - the lifelessness of his face. She didn't want to touch him - didn't want to feel the coldness of his flesh...Because once she did, there would be no going back. At this moment, the last time she had touched him, he had been warm and full of life.

But now...

Now he was gone. All that remained was a broken and empty shell.

Toothless' whimpers were growing increasingly more desperate, it truly was a pitiful sound. One that finally brought the tears that had been welling up in Astrid's eyes cascading down her pale cheeks.

She knew she couldn't stand there forever, and she owed it to Hiccup to be there for him - even when he was no longer here. And so, with the greatest of efforts, she slid down from her dragon and trudged forward on autopilot before sinking down next to the body of the man who would never be her husband. He felt impossibly heavy as she pulled him up into her arms.

"...Hiccup?" She whispered, her voice containing a note of hope. But his eyes remained closed.

Water slowly seeped into her armor as she sat there, but she didn't care. Quietly, she rocked back and forth with Hiccup, thinking over all the things she wish she had done differently.

She wished she had married him. Wished she hadn't avoided his promptings for them to bond themselves together forever...

Who could have ever guessed that their endless days had been so cruelly numbered?

Absentmindedly, she reached into her shirt and pulled out the betrothal necklace Hiccup had given her years ago...Looking at it brought back so many memories: Like the fight they'd had when she'd thrown it back to him...How he later returned it to her and apologized for taking her for granted...

Her hand clasped so hard around the small pendant that it dug painfully into her skin.

Wasn't it just like life to circle back around on you in the worst of ways? Because now and forevermore, she would be the one who took the other for granted and never got the chance to make it right.

"Oh, Hiccup..." She mumbled, tears dripping into his hair and onto his face. She wanted to see his eyes twinkling up at her and see that goofy-yet-handsome smile. Her hand had drifted up to his face, and in that moment - lost and not yet fully processing how much she had lost - she leaned downed and kissed him.

With her lips pressed against his, she felt as the last bit of warmth in his body was sapped away.

It was the last thing he would ever give her.


	2. A Hero Is Forever

o0o_o0o_o0o

Windwalker stared at her mate in concern.

Four sunsets had passed since their battle with the dragon hunters and the death of Hiccup, but instead of healing and adapting, Toothless only seemed to be growing more distant and withdrawn with each passing morning...

His most recent grief-behavior had been the refusal to look at anyone - including her. But that didn't stop the light fury from trying.

Crawling up carefully beside him, she'd placed her head beside his in the hope of touching noses, but he'd simply repositioned himself in a way that plainly said 'Leave me alone.'

As he rejected her again - as he'd done countless times in recent days - she couldn't help but wonder if he blamed her the same way he blamed himself for what had happened. And even though it hurt her to think he might be holding something against her, she could understand why he would.

She could have helped...but how could she have known what the human meant to Toothless? Up until meeting these peculiar people, she had only known the humans as killers...On top of that, every time she had seen the night fury with his rider, he had seemed disgruntled - so, naturally, she assumed he wouldn't care too much if the human was gone. She had had no idea until afterward that their friendship had been so powerful.

A long, low whine issued from her throat, but Toothless ignored it. With a snort, she raised her head - she had to find a way to cheer him up.

And so Windwalker stood from her place by Toothless' side and trotted into the woods to find a sturdy stick. It took a few minutes, but at last she found one that was suitably sized and shaped, after that, she pranced back to Toothless in an obviously playfully manner. When they'd first met, he'd seemed so dazzled by her movements. Now, however, he didn't appear to care.

A despondent sigh was the only reaction she got out of him, but she remained undeterred. This had to work...

Feeling a bit silly, Windwalker plunged the tip of the branch into the ground and began to scribble into the dirt. This was something she knew he would like!

However, as soon as Toothless saw what she was doing, the dragon's reaction was the exact opposite of what she'd been hoping for...

Jumping to his feet, Toothless wailed and wrenched the utensil from her mouth before smashing it in his powerful jaws. The sudden violent action caused the light fury to recoil and whimper in fear - not understanding how her actions could have elicited such a response.

She didn't know, he told himself...but that still didn't make the soul-crushing pain go away...With his memory taking him back to the day he and Hiccup had sealed their forbidden friendship, his heart broke anew.

And as he looked at her, cowering and afraid of him, and then to the drawing on the earth, he knew he needed to go away. Far away.

From everyone.

With a sad croon of apology to his mate, he turned and bounded into the forest before launching himself into the sparkling night sky.

This new island was unfamiliar and cold to him...He wanted to go home.

o0o_o0o_o0o

Four days without Hiccup...

Has it really been that long? Astrid wondered to herself as she sat on the step of her new hut. It had been a couple hours since the sun had gone down, but she hadn't moved from her perch. She was too physically and emotionally drained to do anything but sit here and remember.

As she often found herself doing in recent days, she thought back to the time when their life with dragons had just begun...Back to when Hiccup first lost his leg...

She wondered how he had felt about losing such an integral part of his body - he'd never really talked much about it, and she'd never asked...But now she wanted to know. She wanted to know if what he'd felt at losing a physical part of himself felt anything like this.

Like losing someone you loved.

But that was just it, the person she would talk to about this was the person who was gone. It was the most horrible feeling she had ever experienced.

Her vision grew blurry as her gaze traveled over to the ship being built at Gobber's workshop. Its construction was nearly complete, and soon it would make its first and final voyage.

The sight quickly evoked too many negative emotions, so finally, she decided it was time to go in and try to get some sleep. Even though she knew she wouldn't be able to...

As she rose, she looked to the heavens as she had done every night since Hiccup's death, saying a silent prayer to her gods that Hiccup was at peace and that she would find her own peace some day. It was just as she was about to turn away that something in the distance caught her eye.

It was the black shape of a dragon, obscuring the stars as it sped away into the night.

Go, Toothless...Go...

o0o_o0o_o0o

Ashes.

That was all that was left of Berk.

Toothless walked through the desolation trying his hardest to imagine it the way it used to be long ago: The grassy hills, colorful homes, noisy shouts and the clangs of metal...Hiccup.

The house on top of the hill was nothing but a pile of grey ash now. The only thing that had survived the fire was the large stone slab he'd bedded down on so many times.

His eyes wandered from there up to the large carved figure that stood watch over the now-ruined island. Hiccup's father. He wished there was one of Hiccup, too...

Hanging his head, he walked away - and didn't stop until he reached it. The cove. The memories this place held were sacred to him now, and he was thankful it had been untouched by the fire. At least something had been spared amongst all this loss.

Finally, after several minutes of hungrily taking in the familiar surroundings, he glided down and he came to rest by the pond's edge.

If he closed his eyes, he could see him: A young Hiccup...walking into the clearing clutching a fish in his hands and looking so terribly nervous...He could see Hiccup's kind, bright green eyes - the way they held so much curiosity and courage. Then Toothless remembered his first attempt at a smile. Hiccup had always brought out the best in him, even from the beginning.

Despite himself, the memory caused his lips to curl up into that same toothless grin. For some reason, it felt okay to be happy here. He felt that Hiccup was with him.

Comforted by that thought, Toothless began walking around quietly, pausing occasionally to remember scenes from the past that soothed the pain inside his heart.

He stopped to look at Hiccup's shield, still stuck in the rocks where the boy had left it. The iron banding was rusted, and the paint had faded and cracked, but it still remained: A small monument to the beginning of their friendship. It wasn't quite like the statue of Stoick that was carved into the mountainside, but somehow, it was more fitting for Hiccup.

The rest of the events from that day played out in his mind again, and he followed those long-gone footsteps to the water's edge. He remembered fondly the way Hiccup had understood his concerns about weapons and had kicked his knife into the water to appease the dragon. Wondering if it was still there, he craned his neck and stared down into the pond...Sure enough, lying a small distance from the shore sat the corroded remains of a small dagger - entombed beneath the shallow surface of the water.

Hiccup...

He missed his boy.

But his boy wasn't coming back.

With a thud, the dragon plopped himself down on the ground and allowed the barrage of self-blame to consume him once again.

He wished things had stayed as they were. He wished Stoick could have lived. He wished Hiccup had never been forced into the role of alpha for his tribe. He wished he'd flown away with Hiccup all those years ago - before they faced the Red Death together. He wished...he wished he'd never met Windwalker...

It was a horrible thing to think, he knew that...but in hindsight, he saw that it could only ever have ended with one or the other. His best friend, or his mate. When he'd chosen Windwalker, blinded by the call of nature, he had never imagined what the outcome would be. In his mind, he'd assumed Hiccup would be there for him to visit whenever he felt like it, forever ready and waiting with a hug and a salmon...If he could have seen the future, he would have done it all differently.

But he couldn't. Hiccup had died so that he and Windwalker could live happily together...even after he had chosen the light fury over Hiccup.

In the end, Hiccup had proven himself to be the greater friend, and it left Toothless feeling utterly unworthy of such love and devotion.

Absentmindedly, he folded and unfolded his tailfins and thought back to the first solo-flight tail Hiccup had made for him.

Back then, he hadn't wanted to fly without Hiccup...But now, he'd happily trade both his wings to have his friend back.

For where is the joy in flying on your own when you're all alone?

o0o_o0o_o0o

The vessel rocked gently upon the calm waters of the sea, its black sails set and ready for departure.

To the casual observer, it was quite the strange little boat...However, to anyone who had known Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, it couldn't have been more fitting.

Black paint covered every inch of it, accented by a red night fury motif that had been painstakingly painted around the entire rim of the gunwale. The large sails had even been made to look like the outstretched wings of a dragon. And the sternpost, along with the stempost, were both adorned with carved roaring dragon heads...

It was every bit as unique and interesting as its sole passenger had been during his life.

Hiccup's body had already been laid out on top of a white blanket of sheepskins. Unlike most vikings, though, he wasn't buried with his sword grasped in his hand - since violence had never been his way. This had been why Astrid had insisted that the customary funeral pyre weaponry be placed at the base of the raised platform Hiccup was on. He deserved to be sent off in a way that complimented his life.

With that sentiment in mind, Astrid had chosen to tuck Toothless' old red tailfin under one of his arms so it was close to his chest. Then she'd placed his favorite journal - the one filled with sketches of his loved ones - beneath the other.

More customary funerary items were added around the altar that his body rested on. His helmets were going with him - both his new one and his old traditional horned one. Swords, shields, axes, food, hides, mead casks, and even some gold jewelry were onboard as well.

As a final touch, Astrid had made sure Hiccup was wearing his first prosthetic. It was much too small for him now, and was useless from age and disuse - but his days of walking in the physical world where such things mattered were over...The most important thing now was remembering his life and honoring it, and since this had been the leg he'd earned while saving his entire village, it was the most special, and therefore the one he should take with him.

Everything was almost ready.

Soon, it would be time to say goodbye.

o0o_o0o_o0o

The prosthetic fin Hiccup had made for him worked beautifully.

He hated it.

Every time he heard the gears click into their new position, he was reminded of the similar sound his old tail had made when Hiccup had been the one operating it...

Would this feeling of loss never go away? Was he doomed to spend the rest of his life in this world of pain, where the slightest sight, smell, or sound sent forth a wave of sad memories? And, if healing ever did come, could he even allow himself to accept it?

Part of him felt like he deserved these torments. Part of him felt like he had brought this on because of his determination to mate with the light fury.

If he had just remained content with he and Hiccup's friendship, none of this would have happened. No matter how he looked at it, it would always be his fault...but what about Windwalker...

When he'd left, he had needed to get away for several reasons: One being his need to see home again, and the other was for thinking.

He had to decide what to do about Windwalker, because he either needed to stop blaming her altogether, or...abandon her.

The first option seemed difficult, but he knew the latter was downright impossible. He'd already lost one friend, he wasn't about to lose another.

He just needed to work through it all before he went back, because when all was said and done, he knew it wasn't fair to hold what had happened against her. After all, she was a wild dragon. She had done what she thought was her part by saving him...and perhaps she hadn't even realized that saving Hiccup was an option.

Toothless felt guilty for how he'd treated her before he'd departed for Berk. She deserved better, and he would try to do better. He just had to hide the war of despair and anger that was raging inside of his heart.

o0o_o0o_o0o

Vikings shuffled about solemnly on the beach, some huddling together while others wrapped furs tightly around their shoulders. The icy cold wind that buffeted them from the north gave the entire affair a decidedly miserable mood.

The only warmth that could be found was the small fire Astrid had built to light the arrows that would ignite Hiccup's pyre.

The villagers were uncharacteristically silent as they waited for Astrid's speech and Hiccup's boat to be set out to sea, but the shieldmaiden didn't seem to have the strength left to do what she must.

Valka, looking older and more haggard than she ever had, wrapped a comforting arm around the girl. This was hard for her as the mother, but admittedly, she hadn't been there for Hiccup as much as the young woman by her side had...And even though she hated to think it, she figured this was harder on Astrid than it was on her.

Astrid was too numb to think much of her surroundings.

But she knew she couldn't put this off any longer. Hiccup was gone, and even though Gothi had preserved the body with salts, he would never come back no matter what. She was holding onto nothing, and it was time to let him go.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she turned and looked to the black ship. Her blue eyes then scanned out to the horizon. She had noted that Toothless wasn't there, and it saddened her that he hadn't stayed to see Hiccup off...but she supposed she couldn't blame him. Perhaps he'd done the thing that she was finding so difficult...He'd moved on.

It was her turn now. So, nodding to Gobber, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut, Astrid gave them the signal to push the boat out into the water. Her eyes lingered on the covered form of her best friend for the briefest of seconds before she forced herself to turn around.

It seemed foolish now that she hadn't prepared something to say, but in true "Hiccup fashion", she wanted to speak from the heart - even if that meant it didn't come out perfectly. Drawing strength from her memories of him, she began her eulogy.

"Hiccup Haddock became a hero the hard way. He lived the life the gods intended, and he died the way he'd wanted. His deeds will live on, as we live because of those deeds...Now that his count of days is complete, may his spirit find rest in the halls of his ancestors..." And just as the reality of what would come next sank in, she managed to belt out with all the ferocity of a viking warrior, "I know he was a hero, and a hero is forever!"

"A HERO IS FOREVER!" The vikings chorused heartily in response, and with that, she took her bow - one Hiccup had made her years ago - and nocked an arrow.

The tip, dipped in Nightmare gel, ignited immediately once she touched it to the fire - and in one fluid motion, she lifted the bow, aimed, and released.

The shot was true, and in a matter of seconds, the small vessel was ablaze as it coasted onward.

As the smoke thickened and became increasingly more black, Astrid sat down to watch the ship disappear.

A hero is forever.

o0o_o0o_o0o

Toothless could see the dark smoke as he neared New Berk.

It billowed up from a small, solitary ship that floated rudderlessly on the sea. It was a sight he'd seen several times in the past while living amongst the vikings.

A funeral boat.

He knew instinctively who it belonged to.

And once again, he felt nothing but shame. Because once again, he hadn't been there for Hiccup.

He paused and hovered in the air, trying to decide if he should go down to Hiccup or not. On the one hand, he hadn't been there at the funeral like he should have been - but what could he do now aside from look? However, while he considered it, he noticed a familiar white dragon circling far overhead.

Windwalker.

His expression softened, but again he felt shame. He had failed his two closest friends. One who was above, and one who was below. And even though he wanted to go down to Hiccup's ship to say goodbye, he knew Hiccup wasn't really there. He wondered if his friend, wherever his spirit was, would be sad if he went to Windwalker instead so he could reconcile with her...

And then he heard it - Hiccup's voice! It was nothing more than a whisper, but the tone was calm and peaceful and filled with undying love.

Go, Toothless. You belong with her...

His roar was both a reply and a call.

He would go with Windwalker to the Hidden World. He would take his place as Alpha, and he would honor Hiccup's death by living.

As he shot high into the sky toward his mate, listening to the quiet clicks of the tail Hiccup made for him, he let his face contort into the goofy smile that he'd often shared with his boy...It was the first thing the light fury saw as he approached her.

He never wanted to abandon her again. He would never blame her for what happened. Instead, he would enjoy every minute with her in this life Hiccup had given them.

With a final look at Hiccup's burning ship far below, he said farewell to the dearest friend he'd ever had, then turned toward his new life. He was ready for more adventures, and he was content to carry Hiccup with him in his heart forevermore.

o0o_o0o_o0o

A/N: I know it was a *bit* angsty, but that's just the mood I was in. I hope you liked it, and I thank you for reading to the end.


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